UPDATE (January 14, 2021): As the spread of COVID-19 continues to be a concern, restrictions from the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) on social gatherings and non-essential travel, and a requirement for masks in public indoor spaces are still in effect until at least February 5, 2021. Updated guidance on safer showings from BCREA, the Real …
With more than 1.5 million British Columbians living in strata housing, not to mention all the commercial, industrial and mixed-use stratas in BC, it’s important that REALTORS® understand a key tool in assessing the condition of a strata property: the depreciation report. Here’s a quick primer on what you need to know and how to learn more.
Selling a home can be a stressful experience, and it can be even more complicated when selling a tenant-occupied property, especially in the midst of a global pandemic. If you are a real estate professional selling a tenant-occupied property during the pandemic, you have an important role to play in managing relationships and expectations and …
Last updated: December 9, 2020 BCREA has created this dedicated page to help real estate boards and REALTORS® access resources related to real estate practice and the COVID-19 crisis. We will provide new information and resources as they become available. In addition to uploading new content here, we will send out email updates to all …
The second half of 2020 has been a busy time for real estate transactions, which has resulted in an increase in conveyancing. To help control the spread of COVID-19, it remains paramount to continue using technology to reduce in-person contact during all aspects of a transaction, including conveyancing. In dealing with the consequences of the …
The Land Owner Transparency Act (LOTA) and the Land Owner Transparency Registry (LOTR) come into effect on November 30, 2020, and that means REALTORS® should prepare for changes to practice when completing a transaction to allow for the new reporting requirements outlined by LOTA. The following resources will help Realtors get up to speed and …
On November 30, the Land Owner Transparency Act (LOTA) and Land Owner Transparency Registry (LOTR) will come into effect. With them come new reporting requirements, filed by legal professionals, when an application is made to register an interest in land. To help REALTORS® and your clients get ready for LOTA and LOTR, here are three …
With new health orders announced by the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) on November 19, BCREA encourages REALTORS® to continue COVID-19-conscious business practices, which includes using virtual tools when possible, to market, show, and view properties to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The PHO’s recent announcement and order extends the ban on social interactions and …
BCREA would like to remind REALTORS® to continue to use virtual tools when possible to market, show and view properties, to limit face-to-face interactions, and to follow the safer showings guidelines released last week. While the order issued by the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) on November 7 limiting social interactions and travel in the Lower …
The COVID-19 FAQ was last updated on November 12, 2020. As the spread of COVID-19 continues to be a health risk and have a significant impact on people’s lives, REALTORS® may be left with questions about how to deal with certain areas of their practice. BCREA seeks to support you in these unprecedented times. We …
The Land Owner Transparency Act (LOTA) and the Land Owner Transparency Registry (LOTR) come into effect on November 30, 2020, and that means REALTORS® should prepare for changes to practice when completing a transaction to allow for the new reporting requirements outlined by LOTA. How does this affect your practice? Beginning on November 30, 2020, …
There are two new presentations available in the What Would You Do? Presentation Series, created by BCREA, the Real Estate Council of BC (RECBC) and the Real Estate Errors & Omissions Insurance Corporation (E&O). These PowerPoint presentations explore the risks around conflicts of interest and misrepresentations and are now available for download on REALTOR Link®. …
In the coming years, new homes in BC are about to get measurably healthier, quieter, more durable, and more energy efficient than those on the resale market, thanks to a regulation called the BC Energy Step Code. BCREA is collaborating with BC Hydro to ensure REALTORS® understand the BC Energy Step Code, so they can …
Filing a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) can seem like a tough call – what’s considered suspicious? And how do they help anyways? The truth is STRs are an easy and important way for REALTORS® to help protect BC’s economy from money laundering. They also play a key role in helping law enforcement identify money launderers …
By Ellen Baragon, Guest Contributor The federal government has extended the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for another month to help small businesses cover rental costs through August 2020. This follows a previous CECRA extension for the month of July. CECRA provides forgivable loans to qualifying commercial property owners to cover 50% of three …
BCREA’s new online Disclosures in Real Estate (DIRE) course can help you better understand the scope of your disclosure obligations.
With an announcement on July 20, the BC Government is giving landlords and tenants information to help them plan for the near future. The ban on residential evictions for non-payment of rent will be lifted before September 1, which means full rent will be due in September. Repayment plans The government has published a repayment …
By Ellen Baragon, Guest Contributor Even when REALTORS® adapt strict COVID-19 safety protocols (you can review BCREA’s guidelines here), hosting open houses increases the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Hosting open houses also results in another type of exposure for Realtors: exposure to public scrutiny. With British Columbians anxiously watching the latest transmission numbers, neighbours …
By Carlos MacDonald, Director of Land Titles, Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia If a property owner or buyer encounters a discriminating covenant in land title records, it can be a shocking surprise. Discriminating covenants are clauses that restrict the sale, ownership, occupation or use of land on the basis of sex, race, …
Over the past several months, we’ve been sharing stories about the many REALTORS® across BC who are supporting their communities through the COVID-19 pandemic. For now, this will be the last post in the COVID-19 Community Care series. “A huge thanks to our fantastic agents, to Trinity Church and to the people of Kelowna, West Kelowna …